5 Quick Water Damage Cleanup Tips

When I was a kid, my mom was really “water smart.” She watched our water bill carefully, never left the washing machine when we left the house, and turned off the water to our house whenever we left for vacation. As a kid, it was a fact of life but sometimes it was even a little inconvenient because I didn’t understand the goal. I just remember her telling me and my siblings to all use the bathroom several minutes before we packed into the car for a road trip so that she could go turn off the water before we left. Now, as I look back and realize how smart she was, I do some of the same things she used to do in order to protect my own living space from potential water damage! That being said, flooding and water damage is one of the most common nagging issues of property owners. From the professionals at ICON Property Rescue, here are five tips you ought to do quickly if you find yourself victim to water damage and are in need of a quick cleanup: 

1. Perform A Quick Assessment Of The Situation. Try to identify the source of water. If you can do so safely, It can be helpful to shut off water supply to the affected area. Shutting off power supply is a good safety precaution to take. Take care not to be directly exposed to water unless you absolutely know that it is clean; even seemingly clean water can be contaminated with bacteria. Especially dirty water such as sewage should be left alone for professionals to handle completely, and, when in doubt, always err on the side of being too cautious rather than not being cautious enough. 
2. Call For Help. You may be tempted to first attempt restoration yourself. While doing so may save some costs upfront, getting professional help is an investment for the future because errors commonly made during self-restoration efforts often lead to mold, structural damage, and more costly fixes. ICON Property Rescue is located in Cincinnati and is available for emergency clean-up. If calling them is your second step, you can work on steps 3-5 while they mobilize and rush to you, thus minimizing time loss, which is the key to minimizing damages and expenses.  
3. Take Pictures. These may be helpful for insurance or other records in the future.
4. Remove Rugs And Other Belongings From Your Floor. Things with bright or dark colors may bleed and stain your carpet. In addition, rugs can have an abrasive backing that may damage the floor when wet. Even furniture can sink into wet carpet and cause deformation. 
5. Safely Stow Away Belongings. If you have things of objective or sentimental value in the affected areas, pull them out if you can and stow them away in safe, dry places.  Remove everything you can from the area (even if you’re just planning on throwing it away anyway) to make restoration efforts easier and more efficient. 

Water Damage Cleanup In Cincinnati

Floods happen, even to the best of us. While taking precautions against flooding gives you a significantly lower risk of experiencing it, it cannot be prevented with 100% effectiveness. Luckily, there are steps you can take after flooding to minimize your losses and restore your home safely, effectively, and efficiently. For water damage cleanup in Cincinnati or nearby, call ICON Property Rescue as soon as you discover flooding or water damage.